A Change of Mind on Corporate Campaign Contributions?

A federal judge last week shocked the political system by ruling that companies should be allowed to make campaign donations directly to candidates. The decision appeared to strike down a century of precedent.

Now the judge may be changing his mind.

Judge James C. Cacheris of the Eastern District of Virginia said Tuesday that he is going to take another look at whether he made the right decision given a 2003 Supreme Court case that upheld the ban on corporate donations.

The judge asked lawyers in the case to submit briefings by Wednesday and called for oral arguments on Friday.

“Today’s order, on the court’s own motion, means the judge is seriously considering reversing his ruling,” said Rick Hasen, a professor at the University of California at Irvine. “The federal ban on corporate contributions to candidates is likely to stand, unless and until the Supreme Court says otherwise,” he said…